Casco Viejo (San Felipe)

Introduction

Casco Viejo (San Felipe) is the historic heart of Panama City, rebuilt on a headland above the Pacific in 1673 after the original settlement was sacked by pirates. Narrow cobbled streets thread past colonial houses in fading pastels, church domes and ruins deliberately left as they fell — a UNESCO World Heritage site. On Plaza de la Catedral, the cathedral's stone facade glows at sunset, its shell-carved bells towers watching the square; the golden-domed Canal Museum nearby tells the story of the waterway. Rooftop bars and boutique hotels gaze across the water at the skyscrapers of the modern city — two skylines in one frame. After dark, lamps light the cobbles and jazz drifts from the cafes. Best strolled at dusk; watch your phone and wallet.

✨ Highlights

🛈 Practical Info